Vocabulary Activity: Color Your Vocab in 5 Easy Steps

  

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My students were petulant and garrulous on Friday –a combination brought on by three snow days trapped inside, I think.  After attempting to settle them down for the third time, I realized that it was the day to pull out the coloring book copies. 

I have sophomores, and the mention of coloring lit them up like kindergarteners at snack time.  This vocabulary lesson plan works for all ages, because who doesn’t love to color?  The trick is, students have to label their pictures with vocabulary words while they embellish their image.

Step 1: Find a picture to color; I went to www.funschool.com upon googling for coloring book pages.  I found a cheerful boy crafting a jolly snowman while a happy sun smiles down upon them[1], but select whatever picture(s) best illustrates your season or mood![2]

Step 2: Make copies, preferably on paper that has already been printed on one side (save the earth and your school’s budget simultaneously).

Step 3: Distribute coloring pages and colored pencils/markers/crayons to students with a time limit (mine was 10 minutes-you can go longer or shorter).

Step 4: Tell students to label the picture with at least X amount of vocabulary words that correspond. My minimum was 10 words in 10 minutes (because it took them a minute to catch on). Give them some examples. 

I told my students that for the snowman’s top hat they should write “stately” on it because it makes the snowman look suave. The boy’s hands they could label them “adroit” and/or “deft” because he is skillfully shaping that snowman.  That sun –perhaps label it “insidious” and/or “duplicitous” for shining down and making that snowman quite soon an “amorphous” blob. 

Step 5: Award prizes to students with the most vocabulary words accurately labeled on their picture (my record was 40 in one class!).  I had students with high numbers read aloud a few of their labels to keep them honest J.

Display the pictures outside your room for a whimsy display, a bigger audience and daily vocabulary review!